


hold on; i still need you

by BlackBlood1872



Series: sing along if you know the words [3]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Basira Hussain is a Mechanism, Established Relationship, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Canon, Post-MAG 176, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sappy, Singing, Spoilers for The Magnus Archives Season 5, The Hunt, The Mechanisms Were The Archivist's College Band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:42:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26002849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackBlood1872/pseuds/BlackBlood1872
Summary: Basira blames Jon for this. If he hadn't been going around,singingwhenever it pleased him, she never would have gotten the idea.(She'll never say it aloud, but she's thankful, too. She doesn't know what she would have done if he hadn't reminded her that her voice is all she needs when it comes to saving the one she loves.)
Relationships: Basira Hussain/Alice "Daisy" Tonner
Series: sing along if you know the words [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879174
Comments: 12
Kudos: 155





	hold on; i still need you

**Author's Note:**

> Anon "annoyingguest" requested this in the comments of the previous fic! To be entirely honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to write it? But it snuck into my brain and I ended up really liking how it came out! So, thank you 'guest :D  
> Title from [Hold On](https://youtu.be/8ofCZObsnOo) by Chord Overstreet.

Basira is desperate. They found Daisy, laid a trap with bait she couldn't resist and she is _here_ —but she is _gone_. The Daisy she knew is either buried so deep in this Hunter or purged entirely and Basira—she doesn't want to believe the latter. She doesn't want to give up hope, doesn't want to follow through with the promise she made all those months ago, the last time they were together.

Daisy snarls at everyone who tries to come close, Jon, Martin, Basira, it doesn't matter. They are all enemies, can not be trusted, clever prey but only until she can break free of the trap and then they will be little more than blood on the ground and mangled corpses, scraps for the scavengers.

Basira is desperate. She needs—something, _anything_ , to bring back the Daisy she knew.

_"...for you, my love."_

A melody, a memory, floating up to the forefront of her mind. The song had been written before she joined the group, and it was the Toy Soldier—Jessica—who sang it. But the emotion behind the lyrics steals her breath, and it's suddenly all she can think about. The only option she can think of to try and get through to Daisy. Even if it doesn't work, even if these are the last words she says to her partner—Basira thinks she'll be okay with that.

This isn't her song, she isn't the one who played this character, but Jess is gone and it's the only one that _fits_ how she feels. Even if Daisy can't hear her like this, if she can't understand her words, Basira hopes that the feeling will shine through. That she'll hear _that_ , if nothing else, and return to her.

Basira closes her eyes, takes a deep breath—and starts to sing.

_"When I was a little girl, my mother always told me:  
"“Someday your Prince will come, my love.”  
"But as I grew, I knew it was a princess who would hold me.  
"I looked to the stars for you, my love."_

Her eyes slip open as she sings and she watches as Daisy freezes, then crouches. They are eye level now, and Daisy's eyes are the brightest blue they've ever been, a serene ocean, a clear sky. Basira remembers gazing into those eyes so many times before, always caught by their intensity, by everything Daisy can say without ever uttering a word. It's like that now—Basira can see her fascination, the crinkle of confusion at the corners of her eyes. Her snarling has died down and she's silent now, resting on the forest floor with her paws curled under her. Her ears twitch with every note.

_"Oh my love, we shall finally be together,  
"I look through the stars for you, my love.  
"Oh my love, held in your arms forever,  
"Your princess will come for you, my love."_

She leaves the song there, and the melody echoes through the trees, lingering sweetly in the air. Basira aches, down to her blood, so full of love and fear and desperate longing. Daisy sits before her, head resting on her paws, and she doesn't look anything like the monster they had found, minutes ago. But she doesn't look like the Daisy Basira remembers either, the one she longs to see after all this time.

Basira swallows and takes a step forward. Daisy breathes out a sigh and doesn't move, not even when Basira lays a gentle hand on the side of her nose and brushes the fur on her cheek.

"I've come for you," she whispers. Daisy's eyes close, and Basira rests their foreheads together, her own eyes shuttering, tears beading in the corners. "I'm here, my love."

She doesn't know how long they stand there, sharing the same air, but slowly sound returns to the woods. Small animal noises, insects and birds that fled or hid while the Hunt was on, returning now that they're safe. Basira lets the tension flow from her body, imagines it dripping away like water to soak into the forest floor.

The fur under her hand shifts, too, with the change in atmosphere. Slowly, gradually, it feels less like she's petting a beast and more like she's cradling someone's head, short, choppy hair sliding through her fingers. Basira doesn't dare open her eyes, scared that if she does so the illusion will shatter.

A hand clasps her bicep, shaky and unsure, and Basira draws in a sharp breath, pulling Daisy closer.

"You never told me you could sing," Daisy rasps, voice worn from disuse. It's the most beautiful sound Basira has ever heard. She lets out a watery laugh.

"Well, I have to keep some trivia in reserve," she says.

She opens her eyes. Daisy gazes back, smiling so wide her eyes are partially closed, and within them is an ocean of joy and relief and _love_ —so much love it threatens to overwhelm all else and drown them both.

Basira holds her closer, both arms wrapped around her tired frame, and allows herself to believe, if only for this one, wonderful moment, that everything will only get better from here.

**Author's Note:**

> Song used: [Cinders' Song](https://youtu.be/t3V-j_BnLGY)


End file.
